Cooling device



Nov. 27, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

i f i ffz @w @f f l. w m @Q i Patented Nom-27, 1934 fUNITED sTA'rEsPATENT OFFICE f 1,982,570' COOLING DEVICE 'Harry ncanmwest chester, ra.

Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 649,626 y 1 claims. (ci. lasv- 204) This invention relates to new and useful im provements in cooling devices, and particularly to devices for cooling milk, contained invreceptacleswhich receptacles are supported in a cool-` 5 ing iiuid.

In devices of this character, heretofore, it has been found diiiicult to maintain the level of the cooling.v fluid at a point to cover the upper or neck portions of the receptacles, for the purpose of l properly cooling such portions, which are naturally the warmerl portions of the receptacles, and the contents thereof.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character named, by which this l dimculty is completely overcome.

It has also been found that devices heretofore used were very slow in their cooling operation, such slowness being particularly objectionable where the milk from a mornings milking must be cooled in a comparatively short space of time,

to get the same ready for the market.

Another object of the present invention is,

therefore, to produce a device by means of which the cooling operation is greatly hastened.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent. from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the devicewhen closed.

and showing the interior.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view oi! the device when in use.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showingtthe interior of a portion of the device.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, there is shown a rectangular cabinet represented as a whole by the numeral 10, which includes the front and rear walls 11 and 11a, the -end walls 12and.12a, the bottom wall 13, the partial top wall 14, and the cover 15, which is hinged to said partial top wall 14. The cabinet is provided with a water-tight metallining, or it may be constructed entirely of metal, if desired. There is also embodied in its construction insulation against the transfer of heat, as is usual in articles of this nature.

Secured within the cabinet, and extending transyerselythereof, is a vertical partition wall 16., which divides' the interior into two compartments or tanks 17 and 18, to be referred to as primary and secondary compartments, respectfully, the former of which is preferably of greater size than the latter, as clearly seen in the drawings 55 ,forl a purpose to be explained later herein. The

Figure 2 is a simuar view with the 11d maarv upper edge ofthe partition wall 16 is spaced below the top wall of the cabinet to permit the cooling fluid to iiow thereover, from the compartment 17, to the compartment 18, as will be more clearly explained later herein.

-.Secured to and -encircling the walls of the compartment 17, is a refrigerating coil 19, the ends of which extend 'outside ofthe cabinet and are connected to a suitable thermostatically controlled refrigerating unit as indicated at iA. In order to protect this coil from damage by the milk cans, during the manipulation thereof, the wall 12 is provided with a guard plate 20, extending thereacross from top to bottom, in covering relation to that portion of the coil which traverses said wall, and having its ends secured to the front and rear walls 11 and 11a. The upper portion vof this plate, above the coil, is inclined outwardly.

to the top of the end wall, where it is secured thereto, to form, a scufi plate. Immediately bei-v low this` inclined portion, or scuff plate, is a transl verse slot 22, extending almost entirely there-A across, and the plate, at the upper edge of the slot, is bent outwardlyto overlie4 the lower edge, so as to protect the same and, at the same time, direct the flow of water therefrom. In the guard plate 20, neanits lower edge, is a transverse row of openings 23. Those portions of the cooling coil 19 which' traverse the remaining sides of the compartment 17 are'protected by means of guard plates 24 spaced outwardly from and supported byl said walls in such a manner as to permit offree circulation of cooling water therebeneath and around the coils. Resting on the bottoms ,of the compartments 17 and .18 are corrugated metal plates 25 to permit free circulation of water be neath the receptacles supported thereon.

Connected with the/interior of the compartment 18, and projecting to a point slightly beyond the end wall 12, is a pipe 26, which preferably passes along and within the bottom 13, of the cabinet. The projecting end of this pipe is connected to the intake of a pump 26' which has its discharge opening connected to va pipe 27 which is, in turn, connected to a pipe 28, preferably at its center, extending transversely of the base of the. wall 12, between the same and the guard plate function in synchrony with the refrigerating unit. '11o For example, it may be operated by anelectric motor controlled by the starting and stopping mechanism of said unit.

It must be borne in mind that, when using a milk cooler of the present type, the entire number of cans of milk it is intended to accommodate Will not be placed therein at any one time. Instead, a portion of the cans will be placed in the cooler after the evening milking, for instance, and the remainder willnbe placed therein after the milking of the following morning. For example, when using a cooler intended for handling .six cans of milk which, for convenience, will be the size cooler to which these specifications will hereinafter refer, three cans will be placed in the larger or primary compartment in the evening and, of the cans produced the following morning, one will be placed in the larger or primary compartment and the other two will be placed in the smaller or secondary compartment. The entire six cans will then remain in the cooler until time for shipment.

The reason for so positioning the partition 16 as to cause one of the compartments to be smaller than the other is to render it necessary for one of the cans of the second milking to be placed in the larger compartment, which contains the refrigerating coils. If, at that time, the refrigerating unit is not in operation, this can of Warm milk will raise the temperature of the water in that compartment to a sufficient degree to operate the thermostat and set the refrigerating unit and water pump in motion.

The cabinet will be so constructed with respect to the location of the partition 16 that when the primary compartment 17 is supplied with water until the same just reaches the top of said partition, and said compartment is then loaded with four containers, three from one milking and one from the next, such an amount of water Will be displaced and caused to flow over the partition into the secondary compartment 18 as will rise to approximately the same height as the water in the-compartment 17 when the compartment 18 is loaded with the remaining two containers of the said next milking. It will be remembered that cabinets made in accordance with this invention will be constructed for use in'connection with containers of a given size.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Water is poured into the primary compartment 17 until it reaches the level of the upper edge of the partition wall 16. Said compartment is then loaded with the three cans of milk from the evening milking, for instance, whereupon that water which is displaced by these cans will ow over the partition and into the secondary compartment 18. The refrigerating unit is then set in operation to cause the refrigerant to circulate through the coils 19, and the control of said unit is` adjusted for maximum and minimum temperatures. Whe-n the three cans of the next milking are to be cooled, one is placed in the primary compartment 17, causing an additional amount of water to flow into the secondary compartment 18. The remaining two cans of this milking are then placed inthe said secondary compartment, the capacity of which is such that the displacement of the two .cans will cause the water in said compartment to rise to substantially the same height as the water in the primary compartment. The entire six cans will then remain in the cooler until time for shipment.

It will be noted that the height of the partition 16 is such as will permit the water in compartment 17 to rise to a point just below the openings of the cans therein, and will not overflow into the cans.

Immediately upon the operation of the refrigerating unit, the pump 26' will begin to operate so as to draw the cooling water from the compartment 18 through the pipe 26 and to discharge the same into the pipe 28. The water then issues from the openings 29 and 30 into the compartment 17, through the openings 23 and the slot 22, that portion which passes through the slot being cooled by contact with the coil 19. The water which passes into the compartment 17 agitates that already therein and thus causes an eflicient circulation thereof, so that it will come into contact with all portions of the exteriors of the receptacles.

It will be seen that there has been provided a device wherein the cooling water is kept in constant motion, so that it will effectively transfer to a refrigerant, the heat absorbed from the receptacles and their contents; also a device wherein the water level may be conveniently maintained at a height to surround the upper portions of the receptacles.

While the invention set forth herein has been described as being used for the cooling of milk, in cans, it will be understood that it may be used for cooling other commodities in containers of any type.

What is claimed is:

i. A cooling device comprising a tank having a partition wall dividing the tank into compartments, a cooling uid in said tank, said partition wall being arranged to permit overow of the cooling iiuid from one compartment to another compartment, refrigerating means in one of the compartments, a guard plate in covering relation to said refrigerating means and cooperating with certain of the Walls of the tank to form a passage and discharge the same into the rst compart- .ment through said passage and into contact with said refrigerating means.

2. A cooling device comprising a tank having a partition wall dividing the tank into compart ments,.a cooling uid in said tank, said partition wall being arranged to permit overflow of the cooling iluid from one compartment to another compartment, refrigerating means in one of the compartments, a guard plate cooperating'with certain of the walls of the tank to form a passage between the compartments, said guard plate having openings discharging into the rst compartment, and a pump having an inlet receiving from said other compartment and` an outlet discharging into said passage whereby said cooling fluid contacts with the refrigerating means.

3. A cooling device comprising a tank having a partition Wall dividing the tank into compartments, a cooling iiuid in sai -tank, said partition wall bjeing arranged to pe it overflow of the cooling fluid from one compartment to another compartment, refrigerating means in one of the compartments, a guard plate cooperating with certain walls of the tank to form a passage for the cooling fluid, said plate having a discharge opening in its upper portion and discharge openings in its lower portion, a cooling uid conduit in said passage having openings discharging respectivelythrough said lower openings and up- 14ol i wardly in thedirection of the upper opening,'and 150 lwhereby the same may overiiow' said partition into the smaller compartment upon introduction oi cans into thelarger compartment, the capaci-A ty oi the smaller compartment being such as will cause the cooling liquid therein stantially the height oi that in the larger compartment when the 'said given number oicans are placed in each compartment, means in the larger compartment for cooling the liquid there'- in, and means for circulating the 'liquid from the smaller compartment to the larger compartment.

be cooled, a cooling'liquid 'and dividing the same-into two in'to the smaller compartment 5. A cooling device including a tank, a partition extending upward from the bottom of the tank compartments otrunequal capacity, each being adapted to receive a given number o! cans oi a' given size to in the' larger -com- -partmentextending to the top. of the partition whereby the same may overilow 'said partition upon introduction oi! cans into the larger compartment, the capacity o! .the smaller compartment being such as willcause the cooling liquid therein to rise to substantially the height of that in the-larger compartment when the said given number of cans are placed in eachcompartment, means in the tank for cooling the liquidtherein. and means 101' iculatin the liquid between the compartmen 1 v tion 6. A cooling device including a tank. a partiextending upward from the bottom oi! the tank and dividing the same into primary and secondary compartments', each` being adapted to receive a given number oi! cans oi a given size' to be cooled, alcooling liquid partment extending -to the top onthe partition Awhereby the same" may overilow l'said partition into the secondary compartment upon introduction o! cans into the primary compartment, the capacity or the secondary compartment being such as will cause the cooling liquid therein to rise to substantially the height oi that in the in the primary comprimary compartment -when the said given number of cans are placed in Ieach compartmen means in the primarycompartment ior cooling the liquid therein. and means for circulating the liquid from thesecond'ary compartment to the primary compartment..

'1. A cooling device including a tank, a partition extending upward'irom the .bottom of the tank and dividing the same into primary and secondary compartment each being adapted to receive. a given number of cans 'oi a given size to be cooled, a cooling liquid in the primary compartment `extending to the top 'of the partition,

whereby the same may overflow said partition into the secondary compartment upon introduction of cans into the primary compartment, the capacity ofthe secondary compartment being such as will cause the coolin liquid therein to rise to substantially the he ht of that in the primary compartment when the said given number of cans are placed in each compartment, means in the tank for cooling the liquid therein, and -means for circulating the liquid between the compartments. HARRY E. CANN.

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